Apparatus for generating and storing acetylene.



G. L. EASTMAN & A. HICKS.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND STORING AGBTYLBNE.

AP1 LI0ATI0N FILED FEB. 18, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

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GERARD LESTER EASTMAN AND ALBERTSON HICKS, OF ROSLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AND STORING ACETYLENE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented June 4, 1912.

Application filed February 18, 1911. Serial No. 609,398.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GERARD LESTER EAST- MAN and ALBER'rsoN Hicks, citizens of the United States, and residents of Roslyn, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combination acetylene gas generators and storage tanks, and has for its particular objects the provision of a device which is of a light, compact and simple construction and which is provided with a self-contained re-charging element, the whole constituting a unitary portable apparatus which is extremely eflicient, convenient and durable.

The invention is fully set forth in detail in the accompanying specification and drawings forming a part thereof in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of our apparatus, when in an upright position suitable for admitting of charging the same; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the cover removed, showing the carbid receptacle in position therein; Fig. 3 is a similar view with the cover closed; Fig. 4c is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section of the conduit, showing the check-valve therein, which alfords communication be tween the generating chamber and the storage reservoir, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of the relief valve.

Referring to the drawings and the construction shown therein, the reference numeral A designates a container preferably constructed of pressed steel, the same consisting of a storage-reservoir section 1, a generatingchamber section 2, which is closed at the bottom and open at the top, the same being preferably secured in the upper end of sect-ion 1 by a shrink-fit as shown or in any other suitable manner, whereby a hermetically sealed joint is formed between said sections. An annular integral flange 3 projects from the bottom of said section 2, the same being threaded to receive a tube or conduit 4. Said tube 4: possesses a rela tively largebore 4 throughout the greater portion of its length and at its upper end is provided with a recess 7 which contains a ball check'valve 5, secured therein by a pin 6. Said recess as shown is in communication with the said enlarged bore 4, by means of a way 8 and an auxiliary-way 9, the latter serving to permit of the escape of gas downwardly past said ball in the possible event of the failure of the pin 6 to maintain said ball in the upperportion of said recess. A valve-seat of a truncated cone configuration is positioned at the lower end of an inclined way 10 which affords communication between said recess and the outside of said conduit and thereby, as is evident, said ball element of the check-valve will be inevitably seated in response to the return flow of gas through said conduit,.irrespective of whether the main cylinder is in a vertical or horizontal position or other interme- 'diate position. To permit of the insertion of said ball within said recess the said conduit is provided withascrew threaded plug 11 as shown, the same being provided with a slot for the reception of a screw-driver or other implement.

A removable generating receptacle or can B, of a size to admit of it being snugly fitted in the interior of the section 2, is constructed in two sections, a lower one 0 termed the carbid carrier and an upper one (i termed the liquid carrier, the lower end of the latter being adapted to fit within the upper end of the carbid carrier as shown. The bottom of said carbid carrier is also provided with an aperture 12 which permits of the projection ther'et-hrough of the tube 1. A partition preferably U-shaped as indicated by the reference numeral 13, is secured around. the aperture in the bottom of said carbid carrier by soldering or otherwise, the same extending upwardly to the top of the carbid carrier, and a similar partition 18 surrounds an aperture 12 in the bottom 14 of the liquid carrier and is in turn soldered to the top and bottom of said liquid carrier. Said partitions 13 and 13 when alined by bringing the apertures 12 and 12 into register, as shown in Fig. 1, serve to completely separate the space immediately surrounding the tube 4 from the interior of the generating receptacle B. The side wall of the lower section 0 is provided with an annular flange or other means for supporting a foraminated partition, such as a wire gauze or perforated disk 15, at a position somewhat above the'bottom of the carbid carrier, and centrally secured to said gauze or disk and projecting upwardly therefrom is a hollow tube or pipe section. A second partition,

pipe section, and preferably said second gauze or disk is provided with sleeves which are adapted to receivethesaid pipe section and the partition 13, while permitting of the removal of said disk when it is desired to insert calcium carbid in the chamber formed intermediate said perforated disks or gauzes. The upper section (Z of said receptacle is provided with an apertured end having a plurality of relatively large openings 18 therein, which permit of the ready escape of gas from the upper end of said re: ceptacle, and also a central depressed portion 19 having a central aperture surrounded by a sleeve 20. The bottom of said depression 19 is adapted to serve as a seat for a spring 21 which is positioned around a valve-stem 22 extendingthrough said central aperture. At one end of said valve-stem is a flange to prevent the escape of said spring and at theopposite end thereof isa relatively large valve 23 having an inclined face 6 on its periphery which is adapted to seal the aperture in the partition 14 when seated thereon, the same being normally effected by the action of said spring.

In order to permit of the escape of gas through the upper end of the hollow valvestem 22, a series of apertures 22' are provided, and thereby communication is afforded between the carbid carrier and the space immediately above the section cl, and thence with the storage reservoir in section 1.

The upper end of the section 2 containing the generating chamber is adapted to be closed by a removable cap 24:, which is adapted to be forced into position against the upper end f of the generating receptacle by means of clamping levers 25 which engage cam faces g on the keeper-lugs 26 secured at intervals along the outer surface of saidsection 2. It is evident from the construction shown that when the said cap is locked in position by said clamping levers, the valve-stem 2 2 willbe forced downwardly against the action of the spring 21 and consequently the valve 23 will be forced to a considerable distance below said valve-seat in the partition 14. v

In order toadmit of the escape ofv any gas under pressure contained within the generating chamber, prior to the removal of the cap 24:, we provide a relief valve O which preferably consists of a thimble 27, and a hollow plug 28 having an angular passage 29 therein, which is adapted to optionally register withan aperture 30 in the wall of said thimblewhen the said plug is turned in any desired manner, preferably by means of a screw-driver or other instrument inserted in a slotushown in the upper end thereof.

At the lower end of the reservoir 1 is the outlet conduit 31, the same being preferably equipped with a'pressure gage of any desired type as indicated by the reference numeral 32. A needle valve 33 of well known construction permits of the accurate control of the escape of gas to the lamps of an automobile or other object, through flexible tubing or othermeans secured to said outlet beyond the needle valve.

The operation of the apparatus hereinbeforedescribed is evident from the construction, the same being as follows: The carbid carrier is first loaded with a calcium carbidbetween the two gauzes, and a sufficient amount of water to effect the com; plete decomposition of the said carbid is introduced into the liquid carrier, whereupon the two sections are united. The united generating receptacle is then inserted within the generating chamber of the apparatus and the cap 2a is forced into position, against the action of the spring 21, whereupon as heretofore stated, the valve 22,

which is normally closed by virtue of the action of said spring, will be opened sufliciently to permit the water in the liquid carrier to rapidly escape into the carbid carrier, the same being accomplished preferably within an interval of ten seconds, this period depending ofcourse upon the size of the aperture in the partition 14. By virtue of the position of the lower screen, it is impossible for the carbid to escape into the chamber intermediate the bottom of said can or receptacle and said screen, and accordingly, said chamber will be'filled principally with water and gas and the latter will readily pass through said foraminated support and serve to constantly agitate the granular carbid with the'consequence that the water and the carbid will be intimately mixed and constantly agitated, and the reaction therebetween will be continuous and thorough. The evolved gas will be permitted to escape upwardly through the, respective gauzes, the pipe section 16 and the hollow valve-stem 22, as well as through the large aperturein the partition 14, and ultimately, the said gas will escape through the openings 18 and 22 into'the upper end of the generating chamber formed'between the cover and the upper end of the receptacle B. Thence the gas will be forced by the pressure within the generating receptacle through the way 10 past the ball valve element through the way 8 and into the bore 4, and thence into the reservoir for storing said gas. v 7

It is evident that if desired, any suitable solvent may be introduced into the reservoir, such for example as acetone or the like, and in such cases some suitable absorbent as silk also be introduced for the purpose of covered that, by the provision of a tank of an external dimension of approximately 6 by 22", in which the reservoir is approximately 6 by 12, and the generating chamber is approximately ti" by 10-, we can, by creating an initial pressure of approximately 300 pounds, obtain a sufficient supply of gas to operate a pair of automobile lights, burning a foot of gas per hour, for a period of from 4,1 to 5 hours and this for many purposes, is ample. I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable apparatus for generating and storing acetylene, comprising a receptacle having a gas reservoir and a separate generating chamber, means permitting of the unidirectional flow, only, of gas between said generating chamber and said reservoir, a removable container adapted to fit in said generating chamber, said container having an apertured partition serving to form a chamber for the reception of liquid and a separate chamber for the reception of calcium carbid, a main valve arranged to control the flow of liquid through the aperture in said partition, whereby the escape of liquid from the liquid chamber through said aperture into the calcium carbid chamber is optionally prevented, a cover adapted to close the end of said generating chamber, means positioned on the outside of said generating chamber for actuating said main valve positioned within said container, and a relief valve adapted to optionally permit of the escape of gas from said generating chamber.

2. The sub-combination, comprising a generating receptacle provided with an outlet aperture, means, provided with an automatic check-valve, in sealed communication with said aperture and adapted to conduct gas thereto, a container for liquid, with an aperture for the escape of liquid therefrom. adapted to fit within said generating receptacle, means affording communication between said container and said outlet aperture of said generating receptacle, and a main valve adapted to control the flow of liquid through the aperture in said container, whereby the escape of liquid through the said last named aperture may be optionally prevented.

3. A portable apparatus for generating and storing acetylene, comprising a receptacle having a gas reservoir and a separate generating chamber, valvular means permitting of the uni-directional flow, only, of gas between said generating chamber and said reservoir, a removable container adapted to fit in said generating chamber, said container consisting of two sections, one of said sections havmg an apertured support-- mg means extending across the same, a

main valve adapted to completely close said aperture and seal the same against the escape of liquid therethro'ugh, a foraminated supporting means positioned distant from the bottom of one of said sections adapted to maintain particles of calcium carbid out of contact with the bottom, means at the upper end of said container for permitting of the escape of gas from the said container, means connected with said main valve and projecting externally of said container, a removable cover for closing one end of said generating chamber and adapted to contact with'the said means for engaging with said main valve, and means for simultaneously locking said cover and actuating said main valve.

4. The sub-combination, comprising a generating receptacle having an apertured bottom, tubular means in sealed communication with said aperture and extending upwardly therefrom, a check-valve arranged within said means adapted to permit of unidirectional passage, only, of gas therethrough, a removable container, adapted to fit within said generating receptacle and having an apertured partition therein, and a main valve adapted to control the flow of liquid through the aperture in said partition, whereby the escape of liquid through said aperture may be optionally prevented.

5. A portable apparatus for generating and storing acetylene, comprising a receptacle having a gas reservoir and a separate generating chamber, said reservoir and said generating chamber being separated by an apertured partition, tubular means in sealed communication with the aperture in said partition and serving to prevent the direct passage of gas from said generating chamher into said reservoir externally of said tubular means, a check-valve permitting of uni-directional passage, only, of gas from said generating chamber through said aperture in the bottom thereof and to-said reservoir, and means for closing the outer end of said generating chamber, whereby the same may be elfectually sealed against the escape of gas therefrom.

6. The sub-combination,

comprising a removable container having separable sections for the respective reception of water and calcium carbid, one of said sections having a supporting means extending across the same, said supporting means having an aperture adapted to serve as a valve seat, a main valve arranged to control the flow of liquid through said aperture whereby the escape of liquid through said aperture may be optionally prevented, a longitudinal channel extending completely through the bottom of said container and to the upper end of the lower section thereof, a escape of similar channel extending through the bottom of the upper section and arranged to register with the other channel, a plurality of foraminated partitions, one of said partitions being secured above the bottom of said lower section and the other of said partitions being removably super-posed with respect to said first partition and distant therefrom, and means for permitting of the gas from the upper end of the upper section.

Signed at Roslyn in the county of Nassau and State of New York, this sixteenth day of February A. D. 1911.

GERARD LESTER EASTMAN.

ALBERTSON HICKS. Witnesses:

HENRY M. W. EAsTMAN,

HENRY W. EASTMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, :0. c. 

